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Gilana
The United Empire of Gilana is a large and economically strong nation. It is situated on a set of islands in the Atlantic Ocean, of which the largest is also known as Gilana. The nation is comprised of seven provinces and was founded on July 21, 1959 by the union of six kingdoms. The nation is currently going through a period of governmental reorganization following a war with long time ally Veraco. History Main Article: History of Gilana Forming a Nation For thousands of years, Gilana had been divided into small regional kingdoms. Over the years, there were several attempts to bring together the kingdoms and unite them into a modern nation-state. While these attempts failed to achieve the ultimate goal of national sovereignty, supporters of a unified Gilana continued to call for further negotiations between the kingdoms. In January 1957, a new Gilanan Council was announced by the leaders of all six of Gilana's remaining kingdoms. Led by Council Chairman Christopher Zarban, the council was able to successfully agree on a form of government and write a constitution. The new nation, The Republic of Gilana, was formally founded on July 21, 1959. In the elections that followed, Zarban was elected President. The Great War of 2007 Main Article: 2007 Gilanan War In May 2007, media outlets in Gilana started reporting of a military build-up at the island's five bases. Initial speculation was that terrorist cells within and outside of Gilana were plotting attacks at then unknown locations across the country. However, other media reports seemed to link the increased military presence with the increasing tensions with other nations, particularly with neighbor The Republic of Veraco. A televised press conference with President Dymero Invisa on May 25th confirmed that Gilana was preparing for self defense in case of attack. On June 1st, Veraco declared war with Gilana and President Invisa called on Parliament to declare war as well, which it did. The events which led up to the war are still somewhat unknown. However, what is known is that prior to the war, Veraco had been in a state of civil war for five years. Five months prior to the Gilanan war, rebel forces took the capital city of Veraco, and shortly thereafter, the capitol building itself (in a relatively bloodless coup). In the months that followed, Veraco's new government accused the GIA (Gilanan Intelligence Agency) of spying on weapon-making facilities in the country, an accusation the government denied. Previously, the former government of Veraco had accused Gilana of the same thing. On June 1st, Veraco forces invaded Gilanan land. Several battles were fought during the six month long conflict, with many losses numbering in the thousands on both sides. Despite the on-going battle, President Invisa and Veracan president Lin Heggo insisted that diplomatic efforts were well underway that would negotiate peace and an end to the war. Thereafter, on January 1st, the Gilanan-Veracan Peace Accord went in to effect, ending the bloody six month conflict. From Republic to Empire The events surrounding the change in government policy are unclear, but some facts are known. On June 6, 2007, President Invisa asked Parliament to declare martial law, a motion which passed with a 2/3 majority in both chambers. According to the President, the additional security was necessary to keep the island under control as it was host to most of the fighting. On September 1st, President Invisa came before Parliament again to ask that he be given additional ability to make tactical decisions on day-to-day governmental and military activities. As part of the expansion of his power, the President asked that any executive decrees be treated on the level of constitutional amendments. Parliament declared that such expansion of the powers of the Office of President must go to vote in the individual provinces as well as Parliament. Despite the war, which had already claimed more than 5,000 soldiers from both countries, legislators from the provinces came to special sessions at a rate of almost 98%. All the provinces agreed to the President's resolution. After the six month war ended, it seemed only a matter of time before the new powers handled by the President were handed back to Parliament, which was the main tenant of such interest group seeking a return to the status quo. Instead, on January 6, 2008, President Invisa called an emergency session of Parliament. There he announced Executive Decree 127, which created sweeping changes to the government: :"I have called this session of Parliament to announce my plans for post-war reconstruction. Even with the success of the peace accord, the horrifying and heart breaking events of this war have left many with a great deal of anxiety. Homes have been burned down and families torn apart. When I look at the faces of the people I represent, I see pleas for help. I see pleas for assistance in rebuilding their homes and salvaging what they have lost. But most of all, I see pleas for a nation that is safe and secure, a nation that can be led not to war, but to peace. A nation with rules and boundaries that are set very carefully to ensure that such disastrous conditions are never to be found again. And that plea, my friends, I fully intend to act upon! :(Applause)..." During the speech, Executive Decree 127 was presented, which, among other things, set a new constitution in place which defined a new form of government for Gilana. It assigned supreme power to an Emperor, made martial law permanent, and granted law-enforcement duties to the military. Government Main Article: Government of The United Empire of Gilana Historical Article: Government of The Republic of Gilana Gilana has recently gone through a number of changes in the makeup of its government. Prior to the war with Veraco and Executive Decree 127, Gilana was a Parliamentary democracy with a President as head of state and a Prime Minister as head of government. However, the new form of is an Autocratic dictatorship, lead by an Emperor, who apparently will lead the country for life. According to the nation's new constitution, all decisions may be vetoed by the Emperor, and cannot be overturned by any governmental body, giving him supreme power over running the country. The executive branch of Gilana is also home to two other decision making bodies. The Council of Provincial Directors, is made up of four members who oversee two of Gilana's six provinces (exception: Veraco). Individual provincial governors report to their respective director. The Council is headed up by a Lead Director, who reports directly to the Emperor. Council members are appointed by the Emperor, although the Lead Director position is, in theory, elected every six years. National activities are led by the Imperial Cabinet. Previously, a department minister had to also be a member of Parliament, and the Cabinet was lead by the Prime Minister. Under the new constitution, however, Cabinet members are now directly appointed by the Emperor. The Cabinet is headed by the Lead Director, thus linking provincial and national government, and giving the Lead Director a Prime Ministerial or Vice Presidential-like position. The legislature of Gilana is the unicameral Parliament, which seems to have suffered a severe limitation in power since the governmental reorganization. Although Parliament is able to pass legislation, any law is subject to a veto from the Emperor, which is not able to be overriden, or a petition from the Imperial Cabinet or Council or Provincial Directors, which is decided on directly by the Emperor. In addition, any legislation funneled through Parliament by the executive bodies is able to be enacted into recess by the Emperor if it is not voted into law by the time Parliament goes into recess. Finally, all Imperial Executive Decrees have the force of a passed law. Critics of the new government claim Parliament has been transformed into a rubber stamp for the Emperor's whims. The Lead Director is head of Parliament. The Gilanan Judicial Branch is led by the Supreme Court of Gilana, which is made up of eleven justices, and headed by the Supreme Justice. Below the national Supreme Court are the supreme courts of the seven provinces. Decisions made by any Supreme Court may be overturned by the Emperor in the form of an executive decree. Administrative Divisions Main Article: Administrative Divisions of Gilana The nation of Gilana was formed from six independent kingdoms, which now make up the majority of its provinces. On May 6, 2008, the militant-run administration in Veraco announced that it would be handing control of the nation to Gilana, thus creating a seventh province, albeit one with special status. As former independent kingdom nations, each province has its own history and traditions. For example, Invisio has the distinction of being the historical landing spot of Gilana's first inhabitants, among them the prominent Invisa family. Similarly, Agnon is notable for being the first nation on the island to write a constitution, giving rights to its people. At the same time, it limited the monarchy to an elected role, rather than an inherited one. Below is a list of the provinces, along with their governors and sorted by Provincial Director. Provincal Region One Director: Regalo Zareck Agnon ~ Governor: Lilly Tiss Naher ~ Governor: Tom Wong Provincal Region Two Director: Hector Ingard Invisio ~ Governor: Geoff Handen Luvenia ~ Governor: Victoria Ingard Provincal Region Three Director: Sally Landen Grandon ~ Governor: Oman Zand Yencko ~ Governor: Jared Denefore Veraco Provincal Region Four Director: Lin Heggo Upon the transfer of its rule to Gilana, Veraco was granted the special status of an autonomous province. Although the Emperor retains the right to veto any decision, the island's government remains the same. It is allowed to form any councils it determines necessary to control the province. As its government upon the transfer of control was militant-run, it is as of yet unknown what, if any, councils or cabinets will be formed. Lin Heggo remains the head of Veraco, as well as an honorary member of the Council of Provincial Directors. Geography Main Article: Geography of Gilana Gilana is an archipelago of over thirty-eight islands, the largest housing most of Gilana's provinces. The province of Naher is on an arm located to the southwest of the main island. Several of the smaller islands are not inhabited, while others are owned by private citizens or corporations. As a series of islands, Gilana is bordered on all sides by water, most significantly the Gilanan Bay. However, is it close enough to other nations that it is often cited as being bordered by them, rather than water, on some sides. The climate of Gilana is temperate for much of the island, although a small sub-tropical region exists in the most southern parts of the country. A very small tropical area exists on the very southern most island. The nation is located in the northern hemisphere, in the center of the northern Atlantic Ocean. Flatland plains span most of the island, with the exception of a series of hills ending in Mount Invisio in the southern half of Gilana. There are several patches of forestry throughout the country, with the largest in the Invisio province. Category: Gilana Category: Othena Category: Regions